Bombardier M5000

Bombardier M5000
A coupled pair of M5000s, nos 3120 (Foreground) and 3085 (Background) approaching Holt Town
Interior of a 60 Seat M5000
In service16 December 2009 – present
Manufacturer
Built at
Family nameFlexity Swift
ReplacedT-68/T-68A
Constructed2007–2022
Number built147[1]
Formation2 carriages
Fleet numbers3001–3147[1]
Capacity52/8 seats (3001–3074), or 60/6 seats (3075–3147), 146 standing per vehicle
OperatorsMetrolink
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium
Car length28.4 m (93 ft 2+1⁄8 in)[2]
Width2.65 m (8 ft 8+3⁄8 in)
Height3.67 m (12 ft 1⁄2 in)
Floor height980 mm (3 ft 2+5⁄8 in)
Platform height955–899 mm (3 ft 1+5⁄8 in – 2 ft 11+3⁄8 in) (empty, new wheels–loaded, wheels worn)
Articulated sections2
Wheel diameter660–580 mm (26–23 in) (new–worn)
Wheelbase1,800 mm (5 ft 10+7⁄8 in)
Maximum speed50 mph (80 km/h)
Weight39.7 t (39.1 long tons; 43.8 short tons) per vehicle
Axle load10.45 t (10.28 long tons; 11.52 short tons)
Traction systemKiepe Electric UTA 111 IGBT–VVVF[3]
Traction motors4 × Traktionssysteme Austria TMR 36-30-4 120 kW (160 hp)[4]
Power output480 kW (640 hp)
TransmissionQuill drive (Voith MGU 120-SV-SZH418 gearbox); 6.29 : 1 gear ratio (2-stage reduction)[5][6]
Acceleration1.08 m/s2 (3.5 ft/s2)
Deceleration
  • 1.03 m/s2 (3.4 ft/s2) (service)
  • 2.54 m/s2 (8.3 ft/s2) (emergency)
Electric system(s)750 V DC overhead catenary
Current collector(s)Pantograph
UIC classificationBo′+2′+Bo′
BogiesFLEXX Urban 2500[7]
Minimum turning radius
  • 25 m (82 ft 0 in) (horizontal)
  • 400 m (1,312 ft 4 in) (vertical)
Safety system(s)ATS, VRS
Coupling systemScharfenberg
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Notes/references
Sourced from [8] except where noted.
Part of a series of articles on
Manchester Metrolink

The Bombardier M5000, is a model of light rail passenger vehicle. It is part of the Flexity Swift range of vehicles, built specifically as a high-floor, articulated bi-directional tram to operate solely on the Manchester Metrolink system in England. The Metrolink system is the only tram network in the United Kingdom capable of running vehicles in multiple and consequently the M5000s can operate as either a single vehicle or coupled together to form a "double" unit.

A total of 147 trams were ordered between 2007 and 2018,[9] with the first M5000 entering service on 16 December 2009.[10] Following the withdrawal of the last T-68 and T-68A trams in May 2014, the M5000s have operated all Metrolink services.[11]

  1. ^ a b "Manchester Metrolink M5000 order complete". Railways Illustrated. No. 238. December 2022. p. 13.
  2. ^ "M5000 Technical Drawings - a Freedom of Information request to Transport for Greater Manchester". 30 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Straßenbahnsysteme - Großbritannien" [Tram systems - Great Britain] (PDF) (in German). Kiepe Electric. p. 4. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Bombardier Flexity M5000 for Manchester". Wiener Neudorf: Traktionssysteme Austria. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  5. ^ "LRV Manchester - Two-Part Bi-Directional Train" (PDF). Voith. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Your ticket to ride - Gear units for rail vehicles" (PDF). Voith. p. 7. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Business Unit Bogies - Product Portfolio Presentation" (PDF). Bombardier Transportation. January 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  8. ^ "FLEXITY Swift - Manchester, United Kingdom" (PDF). Bombardier Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  9. ^ Barlow, Nigel (11 October 2022). "Last of 27 new Metrolink tram arrives as part of £72m network investment". About Manchester. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Timeline — Manchester Metrolink — LRTA". www.lrta.info. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  11. ^ "A new generation of trams for Greater Manchester". Metrolink. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2013.